


Sweet Dreams

by Solziv



Category: Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X & Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy X-2
Genre: Al Bhed, Alcohol, Blitzball, Declarations Of Love, Denial of Feelings, Drinking, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Kissing, Drunkenness, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Excessive Drinking, F/M, Falling In Love, Feelings, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Heavy Drinking, Hugs, Humor, Idiots in Love, Kilika, Kissing, Love Confessions, Luca - Freeform, Male-Female Friendship, Mentions of Crimson Squad, Platonic Cuddling, Reference to my other fic, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Sports, Stadium, Tenderness, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, bevelle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-06
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2018-08-07 05:38:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7702708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solziv/pseuds/Solziv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-FFX-2. Paine finds herself unprepared to reunite with an old friend, but longs for the comfort of familiarity. Likewise, it persuades Baralai to get something off his chest that he has wanted to say for years. Multi-chapter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Goodness knows where the sarcastic, playful Baralai came from, but it was entertaining to write.

Paine wandered towards her nightstand, to grab her brush and run it through thick, silver locks, when her ruddy eyes noticed the slightly open drawer of her dressing table. _Must have forgotten to close it_ , she thought; she had been too tired lately for her brain to consider little tasks like that. Now, however, she was wide awake and focused. Her hand pulled the drawer open and she went through what was inside.

She found a hardback book of some kind, and studied the title. _Photo Album_. She flipped it open and flicked through the pages. Most of them were empty, but she suddenly came across four spread across a double page, and froze in her tracks. They were taken a couple of years ago, when she was in the Crimson Squad. There were two of her, Nooj, Gippal and Baralai, another of just the boys, and the last two she had secretly taken, but completely forgotten about.

It had been taken in Macalania Woods, when the group had been sent on a mission to take care of some fiends in the area. Baralai had wandered off on his own to admire the scenery. Curious, Paine had gone after him with her recorder, and had marvelled at what she saw. It was at that moment she had felt inspired to photograph him, seeing the beautiful image of the ethereal butterflies and almost glassy forest around him, and the light shimmering over his tanned skin and intricate Yevonite clothing, making his white hair glow like the moon above.

She had never shown or mentioned it to him. It was her little secret snapshot. Oh, Rikku and Yuna would have field day if they found out.

Paine blinked, and the memory faded from her mind. It was as if she had been pulled into that very moment. And all she was left with was longing, the sudden need to see Baralai again.

The phone at her nightstand rang, making her jump. She warily stared at it for a split second, then took a look at the caller ID. _Unknown number_. _That_ was reassuring, she grumpily thought. With a resigned shrug, she took the plunge and answered the call.

“Yes?”

_“It’s Baralai…”_

A shiver crawled down her spine. _Talk of the Devil_. She had to remember herself before she let the phone drop out of her hand. Yet, instead of revealing her apprehension to him upon hearing his voice, she responded with a piece of sarcasm. “You do know how early it is-?”

There was a pause. _He’s checking the clock on his wall_ , she guessed; she knew him too well. Several seconds later, there was a soft, low chuckle from his side, which only made her chest further tighten. _Something about his voice…_

_“Sorry about that, Paine, I just…”_

_Just felt like hearing my voice?_ she wondered. _I was thinking the same thing._ “Okay, enough teasing. What’s up?”

_“I heard you were back, and I just wanted to know how you’re doing. And…if you’re not busy, we could…meet up.”_

Paine closed her eyes, and let those soothing words wash over her. Then she opened them again and found she was smiling. “Sure. Name the time and the place, and I’ll be there.”

* * *

 

Luca had always been a suntrap, and the white-haired male could feel the blazing heat on his face and back. To make things worse, there was barely any breeze, even at the docks, where he observed boats coming and going. He was glad to have swapped his Yevonite garb for a short-sleeved tunic and loose trousers.

He looked up and squinted at the clear, cobalt sky, distracting his mind from the throngs of people walking back and forth past him. It was Blitzball season again already. But that was not at the forefront of Baralai’s mind. He awaited the arrival of his silver-haired friend, a woman he had barely spoken to for the past three months. After Vegnagun’s destruction, he knew his role in politics and her need to explore the world had driven them even further apart, so it felt good to speak with her over the phone, then meet with her in the city today. It was only the second time they had met outside official business.

And then, suddenly, as if conjured by his thoughts, she was in the distance, clad in black and sauntering towards him. She gave a quick wave of acknowledgement, which he answered with the same gesture.

When Paine was directly before him, the million greetings he had planned in his head melted into nothingness, but were replaced by a beaming grin. At that, she felt another shiver tango down her spine. The contrast of his coffee-coloured skin and white hair, shimmering in the hot sunshine, did nothing but further distract her mind. She also noted that, regardless of attire and their friendship, he still stood in that slightly official, stiff manner – a throwback to his Yevonite upbringing. _You can take the man out of Bevelle…_

“You haven’t changed,” he said. She would have retorted with a sassy comeback, if she hadn’t known he was lightly teasing, attempting to make her more comfortable. She blinked, wondering about her thoughts – did she seem uncomfortable in his presence? Had he noticed? He _was_ highly observant.

Baralai wasn’t quite sure what to do first, so he blurted his suggestion. “How about seeing the Blitzball tournament?”

“Playing or watching?” Paine immediately asked, a sliver of mischief lighting up her eyes. It made him sigh. The thought of embarrassing himself in her presence, whilst playing Blitzball, no less…she would never let him live it down. He’d already proven how incapable he was at swimming during a Crimson Squad mission. Of course, having an Al Bhed push him into the water in the first place hadn’t helped. Still, Baralai had vowed since that day to keep as far away from aquatic activities as possible.

“Watching,” he said, a little firmer than intended, his cheeks a tad red.

Her brow raised. “Not good enough?”

He peered down at his attire, then back up at her, and chuckled. “Not dressed for it.” He wasn’t sure how to react to her glancing up and down his clothing; her nonchalant expression didn’t tell him if she approved.

After eyeing him for a minute, she responded with, “If you say so…”, then began sauntering along the dock, towards the Stadium. After a shrug, he followed.

* * *

 

The spectators were going wild in the stands, watching the players lining up. Much like the crowd, some players stood, others waved, and a few were telling jokes to one another. The atmosphere in the arena was playful and reminded Paine of just how far away from that sense of nostalgic calm she had been. She hadn’t felt this way since…

 _Now’s not the time._ Her ruddy eyes returned their focus on the game.

Little did she know that her friend had similar difficulties. There were so many things he wanted to ask her – _too_ many – but he just couldn’t find the right way to start his inquisition. Nevertheless, he had to start somewhere.

“Paine…”

She shivered ever so slightly at his soft tenor. Her head turned and she stared straight into those chocolate brown orbs. _Damn…_

In a slightly warmer, friendlier voice, the white-haired male came straight out with the question plaguing his mind. “What have you been up to for these past couple of months?”

She remained silent, until she found the correct response. “Travelling…seeing the sights…”

 _Was it to get away from your friends – from me?_ he thought, but decided against voicing such a thing. Then, as she continued, her next words had his heart pounding.

“Thinking…”

“About-?” he prompted, dying to know the answer. A flash of worry and the raising of walls around her heart gave her away, but he chose to not point it out. Instead, he gave another warm smile, silently telling her that she didn’t have to answer that right away.

 _Talking was a bad idea_ , he told himself, and returned his gaze to the game. Paine let out an inaudible sigh and also went back to watching the game, probably thinking the same thing.

* * *

 

Once the game was over, both casually strolled to the upper walkways, admiring the scenery – old and new. Rebuilding had been continuous, since the permanent defeat of Sin; more recently, a new floating platform had been constructed and opened, which offered a number of stalls. One stall in particular had a sweet stall that Paine was partial to – not that she would ever admit this, even to Yuna or Rikku. The silver-haired warrior subtly nudged Baralai towards it, under the pretence of investigating the area, but he knew all too well that she had a sweet tooth.

He recalled a particular night at their camp during their Crimson Squad days, where the group had gone through their rations to work out how long they could survive on their current mission. The recorder had shown her food, which included a little collection of sweets she had tucked away. Feeling guilty about keeping them to herself, she had offered her comrades equal shares. They sat in the glow of the campfire and enjoyed the night sky.

Then…everything had changed. Even without the threat of Sin, things had become dire for the quartet. The flight from the Den of Woe particularly stuck in his memory.

The light in Baralai’s brown optics had noticeably dimmed. She attempted to distract him, by discussing the variety of food on the stalls, but her efforts were in vain. Then, out of the silence, came a single sentence that turned her blood to ice.

“The hymn that brought Sin to Luca…I listened to it,” he said, almost at a whisper. “It made me think about the last time we were together.”

Paine turned her head and gazed directly into his eyes. Although unwilling to discuss the subject, she was shaken by his admission. “I didn’t know that.”

As soon as he began talking, it seemed he couldn’t stop. “I’ve…missed you.” _That’s an understatement_. “I’d forgotten how nice it was to just…hang around, like we used to.”

 _We can’t go back to that. Too much has changed between us._ Instead of wording it, however, she settled on a nod of agreement. Then she looked up at him. “Wait right here.”

He appeared confused, but allowed her to disappear around the corner. When she returned five minutes later, a bag, completely stuffed with confectionery, was in her hand. Out of it, she pulled an apple-flavoured lollipop (his favourite), and held it up to him. He opened his mouth, fighting a grin, and allowed her to unwrap and insert the sweet.

She gave him an affectionate elbow. “Come on; let’s continue wandering around the city. There are plenty of other attractions to see.”

“Okay,” he finally replied, after removing the lollipop from his mouth.

* * *

 

The sun had dipped below the horizon, and a majority of people had left Luca, either to return to their boats and head home, or stay in inns within the city for the night. Whatever the case, it left the streets mostly devoid of life.

After wandering around the city to see practically every other attraction, Paine had suggested she and Baralai head to a quaint bar nearby and have a few drinks. She had noticed he had cheered up since exploring the rest of the city, his memories put to one side.

The pair had chosen an out of the way table to sit at, with low, violet and aqua lighting. They were currently on their third round of drinks, enjoying a little chat here and there about what they had seen earlier in Luca.

The white-haired male knew that Paine could be tighter than a clamshell when discussing herself, so he chose something relatively impersonal. “How are your friends?”

“Rikku’s constantly over at Djose Temple, helping those maniac Al Bhed create an even stronger experiment.” The eighteen year old shook her head in exasperation. “Like they need the encouragement. Yuna’s over the moon, planning her wedding with Tidus. The invitations have been sent out already.”

“So, they’re keeping you up-to-date on everything?”

“That’s an understatement.”

They shared a laugh.

He then changed the subject. “How is your sphere hunting going?”

“Slowly. I go off, now and again…” she said carefully, forcing herself to be less lightweight when it came to alcohol…with only a little success. “I thought it was about time I returned to civilisation.” She cocked her head to one side and studied his brown eyes. “How is being part of the coalition?”

The white-haired male shrugged. “It’s always paperwork and listening to people’s problems – most I can’t solve. Nooj and Gippal make things easier for me, but…” He trailed off. “It’s nice to get away for a while, like today. I’m sure you understand.” He paused, unsure about having added that last part. Maybe drinking hadn’t been such a good way to loosen her lips; it was working on him, too.

“Sure,” she finally said. “I understand.”

Silence fell between them, and they casually continued sipping at their drinks. She then took a last swig from her glass, placing the empty onto the table. He followed suit and grinned at her.

“Another?” he offered, and received a nod in reply. He rose from his seat, manoeuvring towards the bar to order more drinks, whilst she stared at his back. The alcohol swimming through her body intensified her focus, and she found herself unable to look away from his behind, a strange feeling flooding her chest and mind.

As soon as Baralai turned her way, she looked down and studied the table top. He made a quick return, passing her a glass and settling back opposite her. A smile crossed his lips, although Paine wasn’t sure whether he had caught her line of sight or was genuinely amused by their ethanol-fuelled evening so far. Whatever it was, he didn’t mention it, so she was left to simply wonder.

* * *

 

Drinking far into the night and chuckling about old times, the pair had gone far beyond their alcohol limits. The barmaid found them fairly amusing to observe, even if some of the other inhabitants of the bar were growing irritated by their laughter. A couple of young adults having some fun made a change from retired seamen with tall tales, the barmaid thought.

Baralai nudged the empty glass before him. “Okay, I think I’ve had enough tonight…”

“More than enough,” Paine piped in.

“Speak for yourself.” He picked himself up from the table and stood a little unsteadily, then looked back down at his silver-haired friend. “What are you doing?”

“Sitting down,” she retorted. He let out a sigh, which only broadened her smirk into a gleaming smile. _Beautiful, too_ , he thought to himself…then considered where his train of thought headed. _I’ve drunk more than I thought._

“I should head home,” she remarked, struggling to focus on each word leaving her mouth, and rose to stand alongside the tanned Praetor. It appeared she found walking difficult, so he took her arm and decided to assist, although his actions left her perplexed.

“I’m going to walk you,” he said simply, at her questioning gaze.

“Sure,” she replied.

The duo sauntered out of the tavern and took several deep breaths, taking in the fresh sea air. Four optics stared upwards at the sky. The stars were so bright tonight, beautiful and enigmatic, performing a delicate ballet between argent clouds. The moon sat comfortably on its seat within the firmament and spilt gentle light over the area.

He blinked, breaking the spell, and turned to the distracted warrior resting against him for support. He swallowed, enjoying her closeness a little too much, but it felt a little painful, too. This was probably as close as they would ever get.

Paine clearly had enough of her view, so they journeyed onward. Abruptly, however, she stopped, then pulled away from Baralai. She began patting down her attire, her expression utterly perplexed.

“What is it?” he enquired.

“I can’t find them,” she muttered.

“ _Them_?”

“Keys. _My_ …keys. To my room. I think I lost them.”

The New Yevonite gave several sarcastic claps.

“That’s not _helping_ , ‘Lai.”

A thought suddenly occurred to him, penetrating his drunken state of mind. “Wait…you don’t even live nearby. Where are you going to stay?” _Did you even think this through?_

“Um…” She honestly had no idea.

“You can have my room,” he offered. A suspicious squint crossed her features, so he quickly elaborated. “No! Not like that! I’ll find somewhere else to sleep.”

The next question from Paine should have been “where?”, but her mind wasn’t clear right now. Instead, she said, “Well…if you’re offering…okay.”

* * *

 

Thankfully, it wasn’t a long, arduous journey to the inn.

Almost as soon as the pair entered the Praetor’s room, Paine’s could no longer hold in the queasy sensation in her stomach, and clumsily darted straight towards the en suite bathroom. The sounds within made him a tad anxious, so he headed over to grab a tumbler, and filled it with water. Then he followed her.

Inside, he found her kneeling at the side of the lavatory, her head hanging over. Gippal had been right; she couldn’t handle drink well.

“That’s not more nog, is it?” the teen groaned, bringing her head up too quickly and leaving her somewhat dizzy. He crouched beside her, handing over the beverage.

“It’s just water,” he said, in a reassuring tone. Satisfied with his answer, she swallowed the liquid straight down, in two large gulps, and placed the glass on the floor. Her countenance grimaced at the muddy feeling gripping her mind. A hand stroking across the top of her head soothed it slightly.

“I’m never going to drink again.”

“Whatever you say.”

“ _No_ , I really mean it this time, Baralai.”

He only chuckled lightly. _Give Paine a few drinks and she loses her cynical shell._

Now growing sleepier, she slumped a tad to the right. The white-haired male wrapped an arm around her back to keep her upright. His forefinger passed along her jaw line, and, as she stared blankly into his eyes, he leant a little closer. Lips promptly met, then gently interlocked. Arms brought them closer together. Subconsciously, her mouth opened at the sensation, allowing him to deepen the kiss and increase its passion.

Three years, and he had finally managed to pluck up the courage to do this…even if it wasn’t the perfect setting he imagined. Just to hold her in his arms, to make her feel secure, tightened his chest. Blood rushed upwards, dizzying his head.

_This is a dream. I’ll wake up in second._

He wanted more, but knew it wouldn’t have been fair to either of them by going any further, and, after what felt like only a second, he unwillingly pulled away, gazing at the bewildered girl. Her mouth shaped his name, but it took a few tries for any sound to emerge.

“Baralai?”

“Yes?”

“Why-?” Paine collapsed against his front, finally drained of energy, unable to complete the query. His heart throbbed, wishing there had been time to respond.

“Because I love you.” His whispered admittance had only the company of the surrounding dimness. Scooping up the teen and cradling her in his arms, he carried her to the double bed and gently laid her upon it. He removed any sharp objects that might dig into her body, then pulled off her boots and set them down onto the floor. Her body was covered with soft blankets.

The twenty year old passed another digit across her forehead, then whispered into her ear, “You probably won’t remember this, come tomorrow…but I can always hope…” Planting a kiss on her cheek, he then left her to slumber and advanced towards the door. With one last turn of the head to watch the slumbering female, he added three comforting words.

“Sweet dreams, Paine.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Years after posting this story – and in the midst of rewriting it – I decided to add a second chapter to show the aftermath of Baralai’s drunken confession.
> 
> There’s a reference in here to my other story, _Meeting_ , where Paine and Baralai first encounter one another.

Paine regretted her inability to hold alcohol. After awakening alone in Baralai’s room the following day, she had picked herself up and fought to remember last night. He thoughtfully left her a note, but clearly omitted one important thing. _He kissed me_. She breathed hard, forcing her head to make sense of the situation. What the woman really wished to know, above everything, was “why?”. Why did he do so only when drunk? Could they not discuss their feelings without being fuelled by alcohol?

_You’re one to talk_ , came her unwelcome conscience. A scowl crossed her features, praying it would stop the taunts – even more irritated that it was right. In no way could she complain at her friend when she, too, was at fault. Yet that was not all. Something else he said last night touched the periphery of her memory and came no closer. That made it all the more imperative to speak with the man as soon as possible.

Clambering out of bed, but being careful to not move too quickly and cause dizziness, the swordswoman languidly stretched her arms high into the air, straightening the spine, before tiptoeing over towards the bathroom. She ran the tap and splashed cold water onto her face in an effort to awaken more quickly, which somewhat helped. Dressing felt laborious in her current state, although forced herself to do so. Going slowly was the key, her brain ill-equipped for anything more. As if to make things worse, she continued to cycle through last night’s memories.

Cranky, clean enough and just about aware of the world around her, Pain left the room – only at the last minute remembering the key Baralai thoughtfully left. _Where is he, anyway?_ He left without a trace, having returned to Bevelle to perform his duties like the little workaholic he was.

She made her way downstairs with relative ease, pausing at the front desk to hand over the key. “My room’s paid up?” Maybe it was unfair to be so abrupt, if the receptionist’s surprise was anything to go by, yet the silver-haired woman couldn’t help the overwhelming desire to get away from Luca.

“Yes, Ma’am, it was taken care of. No need to worry about that.”

“Thanks.” That matter sorted, Paine left the inn and took a wander about the city in the gentle sun. A little wine and dining would sate her nicely for the journey back to Kilika.

* * *

The wooden walkways _clacked_ beneath high heels – a nostalgic sound. The sphere hunter enjoyed the soft breeze and how the light bounces off the surface of the waves. It was a calm day, the sky mostly clear, allowing her to peer at the other islands of Spira in the distance. A strange, bittersweet feeling gripped her heart. So many memories, both good and bad.

A _blip_ from her communicator interrupted the reverie; with a great deal of reluctance, she answered the call. “Paine here.”

_“Hey, Painey!”_ Rikku’s loud voice burst from the other end of the line. The swordswoman couldn’t recall a time when the girl _wasn’t_ excited, although the latter mentioned the maudlin time surrounding Yuna’s pilgrimage and the apparent fate awaiting all Summoners. Who could find humour or happiness then? Paine was glad it hadn’t come to that; she considered the brunette an honest, determined woman and great friend. Losing someone like that would be unbearable – something vowed to never happen again. _“I just need to double-check somethin’, ‘kay?”_

“Shoot.”

_“Doing a head count and need to know if you’ve got a date yet.”_ More than enough suggestion bled through the blonde’s words, causing the warrior to grumble a curse under her breath.

“Don’t know yet.”

_“If you say so. Just let me and Yuna know a.s.a.p., yeah?”_

With a roll of the eyes, the silver-haired woman wondered whose wedding it was supposed to be anyway, before agreeing to said request. Offering hurried goodbyes (presumably to continue overwhelming friends and family alike), Rikku ended the call.

Paine was then left with distressing feelings, chest tugging upon once more recalling what Baralai spoke of, offering to be her date for the wedding. It seemed like too much to expect from the man – even with their kiss. Her mind travelled back to the Crimson Squad. _Happier days_ , she thought with slight venom. Where she and the Praetor truly bonded for the first time, without jokes from Gippal or the sobriety of Nooj. As much as she liked hanging around with the boys, the Al Bhed was notorious for interfering and ruining tender moments with jokes – much like a male Rikku; those two really suited one another. The brunette male had little more to speak of than telling morbid stories or expressing suicidal desires. _Not exactly party people._ The warrior often wondered how the trio managed to find friends, love or work at all, let alone rise to run political groups.

One particular night in Macalania involved a mission to locate an artefact, exploring the entire area. The group split into pairs – Paine and Baralai, Gippal and Nooj – in order to follow two paths leading in different directions. All but Nooj had grumbled at least a little bit about the absurdity of the mission; he maintained that the _true_ point of the exercise was following orders to the letter. _“A soldier who can’t follow orders, no matter how skilled, is useless in battle.”_ She took those words to heart that day – until Vegnagun. Between wondering if every word he spoke was a lie and trying to stop that machina, she decided to drop that habit. Nothing was worth the lives of innocents.

That assignment also marked the first time the woman actually _noticed_ her white-haired comrade as both handsome and intriguing. Before, he always seemed a soft-spoken, rather pious Yevonite with a dry sense of humour. Seeing him in the moonlight, talking of the area’s beauty offered by the Fayth and maintained by Shiva, had captured her attention…and never let go.

_Why didn’t I just tell him how I felt?_ She had a feeling things would have gone much more smoothly if that happened. Perhaps they would have boarded the _Celsius_ together and gone sphere hunting. A happily ever after.

Except it wouldn’t have been, not with the way things turned out. Maybe he would have been in _more_ danger. The idea brought a shudder. _Things are alright now. I can still tell him, before it’s too late._

With a heavy breath and growing more determined by the second, the swordswoman turned about and hurried home. _Time to fix everything._

* * *

Once inside her hut and in more reassuring surroundings, the warrior made a beeline for her room and began rifling through belongings, searching for a small phonebook. Eventually it was located, and she began to contact said male. Suddenly, she froze, unsure of her actions. A question tickled the back of her mind – _should I ask him about last night? What if he feigns ignorance? What if he laughs?_ Surely that kiss wasn’t a simple dream.

A shake of the head and refusal to give in to such fear forced her hand to continue. There were several seconds of tense waiting, before the familiar, warm tenor emerged.

_“Baralai.”_

“Baralai? It’s Paine.”

_“Paine? What is it?”_ He sounded worried and she pulled a face – thankful he couldn’t see.

“I don’t _only_ call you when I’m in trouble. There’s nothing to worry your head over.”

_“So, you got back home okay?”_

“Yeah, that’s why I called.” Lying to him filled her with unease, although it was deemed necessary. “You?”

_“Yep.”_ A pause. _“So, what’s up?”_

_Time to get to the point._ “Yesterday was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it-” Truth this time. Being in his presence had been uplifting, something not felt in a long time. “-but it felt like it was over too quick. Was wondering if there’s any chance we could meet up again?” Carefully omitting “I’d like to talk” seemed wise, so as to not make him suspicious and weasel out of seeing her. Of course they _had_ to talk.

_“When?”_ he enquired.

“How about tonight?”

_“Er…I’m hoping to get out of here early, but it might be tight. How about tomorrow? My schedule’s free.”_

“Sure. Sounds good.”

* * *

Bevelle was one of the few places that hadn’t physically changed over the last few years, although that couldn’t be said for its people. Politics dramatically shifted following the collapse of Yevon and the final defeat of Sin, then destruction of Vegnagun. Although the city was on good terms with the Gullwings, Paine had a sour memory of the New Yevonites’ reaction to Yuna handing over the sphere to the Youth League…and worse, that distraught expression on Baralai’s countenance. As if _she_ was the one to knife him in the back. _Huh, maybe I did._ Perhaps that explained the guilt. So, that meant it could be a poor setting for a nightly walk with the Praetor.

The moon hid behind clouds hanging low in the night sky, giving the surroundings an eerie gloom never witnessed during the day. That, and the lack of tourists and officials crowding the walkways. She felt more uncomfortable than ever before. At least it wasn’t all that cold, although the woman feared rain, going by the clouds. A scowl formed, not at all trusting their cute, fluffy nature.

The warrior went for a more low-key outfit than her typical gothic attire. A black jumper with flared sleeves covered a spaghetti-strap top, whilst tight leather trousers gripped her legs and usual black boots gave added height. It was meant to imply smart-casual. This was not a night out, nor a business transaction – although certainly seemed like the latter. There would be an exchange of sorts, charm and negotiation, which could easily go awry.

“You’re early.”

A curse escaped her vocal chords, startled yet again by the white-haired male’s silent movements and her own distracted psyche. She swung around, enraptured by brown eyes and caught between fizzling anger and agonising need. He was dressed in a similarly casual way, but always carried that educated air in his choice of clothing – this time a dark green shirt with a high collar, chocolate-brown, slightly baggy trousers tucked into knee-high boots, and that signature blue headband across his forehead.

After a chuckle, Baralai added, “Been waiting long?”

“Only five minutes.”

“That’s long enough.” Hands in pockets and tilting his head at her for a minute, the male then gestured with a nod for her to follow. Almost sighing, she obliged.

The pair divided their attention between admiring the stars and keeping an eye on where they walked, careful with glances at one another and fighting growing blushes across their cheeks. That night in Luca remained fresh in his mind. But he needed to keep his attention more focused, otherwise she would suspect his deceit – if that wasn’t the case already. There was no way to be sure. Part of his wished to reveal everything, the other insisting he drop it.

“Beautiful night.” His voice cut through the quiet walkways, head tilting up to continue mentally mapping constellations. The deniability was too much for Paine to bear and she wanted nothing more than to grab him by the shoulders, kick and scream for the truth. And then he said more. “Why did you meet me here, instead of-?” Another location didn’t come to mind, instead shrugging to end the sentence.

“You live here,” she retorted, before relenting at his squint. “It’s quieter and I thought it’d be a good place to-” _To demand the truth._ “-relax, walk and talk. Luca gets overrun with tourists and the noise gets too much. The quiet is nice sometimes.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

Paine hung her head, owing this awkwardness to nerves and inability to demand what else happened between them. Instead, she talked of memories – somehow less painful that the growing feelings for the Yevonite. “Last time here wasn’t exactly on good terms.”

“You acted like you didn’t know me.” The statement should have been angry, instead emerging amused.

“Yeah. Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. I know why you did it. And I didn’t exact greet you, either.”

“You were busy discussing marriage with Yuna,” she teased, unable to fight a smirk.

The man slapped a palm to his face. “Don’t remind me. Embarrassing.”

“You rarely look embarrassed. It was a treat to witness.”

“Whatever I’m feeling on the inside is rarely shown outside.” Heart thudding, he realised that apparently innocent statement spoke volumes. Why was it when he was around her that things long buried tumbled out? Fortunately, she didn’t remark upon it, although that only concerned him more. He was afraid of what else would be shared – and without alcohol to blame.

Unbeknownst to the man, she thought on his words, wondering if now was the time to force a confession, but decided on continuing the nostalgia a tad longer. If things went badly and they began arguing in the semi-darkness, she hoped to have him calm beforehand. “The first time I came here was…overwhelming. So colourful and high.”

“You came here?”

“When I was little.”

After a frown, Baralai recalled, “You’re from Kilika.”

“Right. My mother had some business and brought me up to see the city.” A certain piece of the past filled Paine’s head and she let out a genuine, cheery laugh. “I collided with you.” At his confusion, she elaborated. “I shouldn’t have walked backwards. Although…maybe you shouldn’t have been sat in the middle of the walkway.”

A moment’s thought, and realisation lit up his countenance. “The girl with the long hair.” _A gentle smile that dazzled him._ “Oh…” Optics lit up, then subsequently dulled. So long ago, when they were different people – naïve and optimistic. He had sadly tried to forget, too much occurring afterwards for him to find happiness in nostalgia anymore, although longing for that day. The present was full of confusion and worry, tangled up in politics where he could only ever please half of Spira at best.

Being around Paine returned him to that simpler, tranquil place. She was a level-headed friend, treasured for her no-nonsense attitude. Yes, he was attracted to her, but that was only half of the story. The woman helped him forget and put things in perspective, where nothing else mattered.

“So, were you hungover from Luca?” said sphere hunter enquired.

A mere mention put him on edge. “A little bit, although I remember _you_ being the one who didn’t think how to get home.”

“And _you_ were the one getting all sarcastic on me.”

The duo shared laughter, the sound stifled by hands so as to not wake neighbours. Once it settled, she raised a silver eyebrow at him, sensing the feelings he struggled to hide. Her patience wore out and she gently pinched his arm, making the man jolt and glance with an alarmed expression.

“What was that for?” he demanded.

“Don’t you ever relax?”

“Not lately, no. Too many long hours.”

“I’m guessing you need somebody to lend an ear. So, go on. Rant to me.”

Wearing a smirk and averting his gaze, Baralai did so, reeling off all his problems, from the politics of Spira, how everyone coped around him and left him unsure exactly what to do, things becoming too overwhelming at times to handle – for even the entire coalition. And then he stopped when it came to his lack of social life. Paine didn’t need to know and he certainly had no desire to get onto that particular topic.

That declaration of love was kept secret from his account of their drunken evening, the circumstances less than perfect and likely to make their friendship awkward again, as it was during their reunion a year ago. Yet it was for naught, creating a problem – for him, at least. _Damn my drunkenness. But I started it. I called_ her _. I was the one who wanted to see her again._ Without concern for those ruddy irises intently observing his behaviour, he snapped both eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What is it?” the warrior demanded.

“It-it’s nothing.”

“Tell me. You’ve come this far.”

_I can’t,_ he wanted to whisper, to somehow have her to understand. “Sorry I was so drunk that night. Shouldn’t have touched that much alcohol.”

“We were _both_ drunk.”

“That doesn’t make it okay.”

“Okay, ‘Lai, what are you hiding?” It was a struggle for the woman to maintain her usual cool – not that he could blame her. Yet he stubbornly stuck to said fabrication, insisting she didn’t need to know how much he screwed up.

“Nothing; I told you.”

“Oh, please. You were doing that little hand fidget as you told me.”

“What hand fidget?”

“Don’t try to wriggle out of this. You always touch your ring finger and bend it when you’re lying.” His look of astonishment was gratifying, deceit destroyed. Her eyes rolled. “We spent a lot of time together, remember? I picked up on a few things.”

He huffed, then gave a nervous chuckle. “You always were observant.”

“So? Tell me what’s so bad that you had to lie to your own friend.”

The secret spilt after a deep breath, although the Praetor needed more than air to force the rest of the story from his lips. As expected, her eyes widened, suspicions and hopes confirmed. A gloved hand touched her lips, still struggling to recall the actual experience, but he knew all that transpired. The taste and feel of her mouth against his flooded back into his mind with more intensity than expected.

“I thought as much,” she finally said.

“That’s not all,” he managed, feeling his heart clench and vision dizzy.

“Uh-huh. Go on.”

Brow furrowed and considering again the ton of bricks he was about to bring down upon them, he continued regardless. _No sense in stopping now._ “I told you I loved you.”

“Wh-what?” Dizziness overwhelmed, palm against her forehead, shaking the disbelief away. _I need to sit down._ The man could apparently read her thoughts, taking her by the shoulders and manoeuvring her over to a nearby wall. He sat at her side, not letting go.

Chewing on a lower lip, Baralai decided to express his worries. “I love you. It’s just…I’m not sure we would work. Our occupations would get in the way…” Her reaction worried the male, who cleared his throat and tried to work through the mess he created. “We’ve moved on from our days together in the Crimson Squad. We can’t be those people anymore.” _Or can we?_ That seemed a mammoth task.

“I haven’t moved on from that memory.” Paine desperately needed him to understand his own denial. As expected, he looked surprised, knowing _his_ feelings for years, yet never deciphering hers. To hear it was mutual took his breath away. Then she did something that seemed so out-of-character – body leaning forward, her lips touched against his. It didn’t take long for him to reciprocate.

“I fell in love with you back then,” she admitted between further kisses. “We’ve drifted far apart these last few years, but my feelings for you haven’t changed.”

“Keep telling myself this won’t work. Guess I’m not fooling anybody. Neither have mine, but you knew that already.” Although a murmur, the words were audible. Enormous relief washed over them both, weights lifting from their hearts. At last, they could be honest with one another, nothing to keep them apart.

The swordswoman leant back to study his features, no longer apprehensive. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” the Praetor parroted, stroking the pad of a thumb around in circles over her chin. Brown pierced crimson, before he leant forward and affectionately brushed the tip of his nose against hers, forcing a snigger from her throat – such a small gesture holding so much promise, that all they shared in the past could be the future, and more. Her head tilted, guiding his palm further up to cup her cheek, before fingers began their own exploration of her short, spiky locks. The man was warm and soft, dark against her pallid skin. They complimented one another in many ways – appearance and personality-wise.

It lasted for what seemed like endless moments, sat and holding onto one another. They were one another’s worlds, illuminated by the moon. So tempting was it to simply take one another under a backdrop of flickering stars; somehow, they maintained self-control, likely attributed to years of practice.

The two couldn’t stay in that pose forever, and Paine broke the atmosphere with an earlier problem returning to mind. Now there was a solution. “Will you be my date for Yuna and Tidus’ wedding?”

Baralai’s returned smile already provided the answer, but he still vocalised his agreement. “Of course.”

Lips touched again, quenching a thirst wanted for a _long_ time. The woman was finally his, as he had always dreamt, and mutual. He was hers at last, too. Another osculation, this one deep and passionate, tossed aside any other ideas she might have wanted to discuss. Not that it was a problem. There would be plenty of time for _that_ later.

What were once sweet dreams had become beautiful reality.


End file.
